Published 4:00 am, Monday, March 11, 1996

A controversial Assembly bill that would make it easier for Californians to obtain concealed-weapons permits has upped the ante in the state's perennial gun-control debate.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Pete Knight, R-Palmdale, would allow "honest law-abiding citizens the ability to carry a concealed firearm for protection."

Currently, all concealed-weapons permits are granted by local law enforcement agencies. The proposed legislation would make the permits a state matter and would remove most of the options that local police chiefs and sheriffs now have for refusing such permits.

Twenty-eight states have liberalized concealed-weapons permit laws in recent years, and bills relaxing permit requirements are pending in 11 states besides California.

"There's a reason bills like these are passing across the nation," said Josh Lowery, a spokesman for Knight. "People are afraid, and they want to take responsibility for their own safety."

The bill engendered vociferous protests from law enforcement agencies when it was approved in the Assembly in February. Despite several subsequent amendments, including requirements for an extended firearms safety course for applicants and greater leeway for permit denial, most law enforcement agencies are still vigorously opposed to it.

"We haven't changed -- we're against it like a rock," said Alva Cooper, legislative advocate for the California State Sheriffs' Association.

"Personal circumstances are unique for each case and must be weighed by local agencies," said Cooper. "More guns on the street will mean more problems. You get mad, you grab a gun, you squeeze a trigger with a four-pound pull and away she goes. No fists, no reason. No nothing."

"We're especially worried because it sends the wrong message to children," said Susan Pollock of Handgun Control Inc. "Gun homicides by juveniles are already increasing. This bill will just make it worse, because it will make guns more accessible."

But Lowery contends that relaxed concealed-weapons permit laws have done little to change crime statistics in the states where they have passed.

"Of the 314,000 permits issued by Florida since 1987, only 57 have been revoked as of December 31 of last year because of criminal activity," said Lowery.

Although Florida's crime statistics may not have increased substantially since the liberalization of the state's concealed-weapons permit law, said Cooper, they haven't slackened, either.

"They're still sky-high, second only to those of Washington, D.C.," Cooper said.

"I told my friend Al Cooper (of the state Sheriffs' Association) that I'd be willing to compare the infraction records of California's 40,000 concealed-weapons permit holders with the records of a random sampling of 40,000 state law enforcement officers," said Helsley. "He just laughed and said, 'No way.' "

Helsley said he is convinced California will have sweeping concealed-weapons reform one way or another. "As the the unfairness of local law enforcement agency dealings on the issue becomes clear, people will say they don't want government doing business this way," Helsley said.

Knight's bill must be approved by the state Senate Committee on Criminal Procedure, passed by the full Senate and signed by Governor Wilson before it becomes law. It is expected to be considered by the Senate committee in May.

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Sandy Harrison, a spokesman for Senate president Bill Lockyer, D-Hayward, said the legislation "would probably pose some problems for the majority of the (Criminal Procedure) committee members in its present form."

Wilson has not indicated whether he will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

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